Bomb jokers now five

THE arrest of a woman at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) brings to five the number of persons arrested for making bomb jokes since Sept. 9.

Emily Baclaan, 32, of Barangay Tuyan, Naga City, was immediately arrested by the hospital guard after she presented her bag for inspection and allegedly told him it contained a bomb. The incident happened Monday evening.

She was turned over to the Fuente Police.

According to PO3 Henry Abatayo, they would file charges against her for violation of Presidential Decree (PD)1727 before the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office.

“We’re just waiting for the security guard to return to our station, and then we will file the case,” Abatayo said in an interview.

“Without the guard’s testimonies, I don’t think we will have a strong case against her (Baclaan),” he added.

Baclaan is the fifth person to be arrested for allegedly making bomb jokes in Cebu City.

Last Sept. 9, police arrested Jasmin Sala, a production worker from Mandaue City, for dropping a bomb joke at Robinsons Place Cebu.

Three days later, 19-year-old Carl John Sacal was arrested by police for allegedly making a bomb joke at City Soho Mall along B. Rodriguez Street, Cebu City.

Last Sept. 14, a 15-year-old student was also taken into custody by security officers of Ayala Center Cebu for allegedly dropping a bomb joke but was later released by the management of Ayala Center Cebu.

Last Sept. 15, Janelle Camacho was arrested for making a bomb joke at Gaisano Capital South along Colon Street at around 10 a.m.

Presidential Decree (PD) 1727 declares as unlawful the malicious dissemination of false information and willful threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar device, through word of mouth, use of mail, telephone, telegraph, printed materials and other means of communication.